Removable sole for shoe skate

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is convertible footwear in the nature of roller skates which may be simply and easily converted to use as walking shoes by placing uniquely configured wear surfaces over the wheels which automatically lock the wheels against rotation. Advantageously, and in accordance with the invention, the wear surfaces and wheel locking means are a single integral unit which may be molded from suitable synthetic or natural rubber or other elastomeric materials.

United States Patent Famolare, Jr.

REMOVABLE SOLE FOR SHOE SKATE Joseph P. Famolare, Jr., Florence, Italy Assignee: Famolare, Inc., New York, NY.

Filed: Dec. 16, 1974 Appl. No; 532,929

Inventor:

US. Cl. 36/25 R; 280/] 1.37 R Int. Cl. A43B 00/00; A63C 3/00 Field of Search 280/11.2, 11.38, 11.37 R;

36/1, 2.5 R, 7.5, 2.5 AN, 7.6

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1926 Bierly 280/ll.37 R 10/1940 Harrison 280/1 1.38

[ 1 Aug. 12, 1975 3,292,940 12/1966 Weitzner 280/1 1.38

Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mandeville and Schweitzer 5 7 ABSTRACT 11 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures REMOVABLE SOLE FOR SHOE SKATE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY or THE INVENTION Roller skates in the form of shoes having wheels attached thereto have long been available and have provided the facility to roller skate from one point to another. However, these skates, many of the more recent types of which have been fashionably, as well as functionally designed as attractive footwear, are not suitable for walking.

This invention, by contrast, provides for the first time in a single item of footwear, a product which may be used alternatively for skating or for walking without the removal of the skate wheels from the footwear. In accordance with the basic principles of the invention, the convertibility of shoe-like roller skates to use for walking is effected simply and quickly by the addition to the lower surfaces of the skate wheels, the sole means of the invention in the form of wear surfaces which, upon placement, lock all of the skate wheels against rotation. As will be understood, with the skate wheels locked with the non-skid wear surfaces affixed to the bottom of the wheels, the wearer may walk without the rolling action which would otherwise be expected from roller skates.

More specifically, in accordance with the invention, a pair of shoe roller skates may be converted to use as walking shoes by slipping over each pair of tandem wheels, the one-piece rubber member of the invention. This sole member is generally in the form and appearance of an endless rubber band having an intermediate rigidifying and stabilizing member or web. The ends of the sole means are in the form of two cylindrical or annular rings having openings of an inner diameter slightly less than the outer diameter of the skate wheels. Thus, by slightly stretching the annular rings and placing them over the skate wheels, the new sole means attaches firmly to the skate wheels, and the wheels themselves are prevented from rotating by virtue of the stabilizing member or web interconnecting each of the rings. With the sole means slipped over the wheels, the user of the skates may walk easily in them, since all four wheels are locked, and approriate wear surfaces are disposed beneath the wheels. In this position, the wheels themselves function analogously to platform soles or high wedge soles commonly found in sport or walking footwear.

For a greater appreciation and understanding of the principles of the present invention and the many advantages attendant therewith, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with parts broken away to show the new and improved convertible footwear of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top and/or bottom plan view of the sole means of the invention shown in integral form, with the two sides joined together by an appropriate integral storage hanger;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. I.

7 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Referring to the drawings in which like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof, the convertible footwear of the present invention includes a shoe skate shown generally at 10 (FIG. 1), having four wheels 11 held against rotation by the sole 13 of the invention. Sole 13 is provided with integral non-skid wear surfaces 12. More specifically, the shoe of the shoe skate of the present invention may be of any well-known or conventional construction, and as such, includes a rigid sole 14, a foot retaining upper 15 with a heel strap 18, and a pair of skate trucks l6 fastened to the sole l4.

In the illustrated skates of the invention, the skate trucks 16 are directly fastened to molded posts 17 formed integrally with the shoe sole 14 in a single molding operation. As is conventional in the construction of shoe-type roller skates, each of the skate trucks mounts a pair of the skate wheels 11, which, as shown, when fastened to the shoe body 10, provide two pairs of tandem wheels.

Although a pair of skate wheel trucks 16 is shown, since they are substantially similar in construction, only one will be described. The skate trucks 16 are formed from bent and embossed sheet metal and are fastened to the solid integral post 17 by bolts 20 passing through bores 22 in the posts 17. Resilient clips 20 (or nuts, if desired) engage the ends of the bolts to hold them in place. The skate trucks 16 include spaced, parallel, vertical walls 26 integral with horizontal bottom walls 28, which confine and compress resilient shock absorbing pads 30 of rubber, neoprene, or other like elastomeric materials. Each of the trucks 16 includes a tubular portion 34 (FIG. 3), which supports a threaded axle 36, which in turn, mounts through spherical roller bearings (not shown) the front and rear pairs of skate wheels 1 l, in conventional fashion, for free wheeling rotation. The wheels are secured to the axles by means of lock nuts 38.

As shown in FIG. 3, the wheels may have hollowedout portions 52, forming a web 54, joining a rim 48 for the wheels 11. This construction provides a reduction in weight for the shoe-skate of the invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the sole means 13 of the invention is comprised of spaced annular rings 33, joined together by an integral web 42. The spaced rings 33, together with the web 42, define a continuous belt-like structure 35, having an outer wear surface 12. Preferably, the wear surface 12 will have disposed integrally therein, a plurality of indentations to provide a nonskid wear surface.

The annular rings 33 are of a width to conform to the width of the wheels 11, as shown in FIG. 3. However, the connecting web 42 is substantially narrower to reduce the weight of the sole means 13, except in the outer circumferential area 35 thereof. Moreover, web 42 will, preferably, have a plurality of small openings 46 and perhaps a large opening 44, again to reduce the weight thereof and to provide a decorative appearance to the web. It should be understood, in this connection, that the size and placement of the openings 44, 46 may be varied as desired, as long as web 42 possesses sufficient strength to maintain the integrity of the connection between the annular spaced rings 33.

Although it is not necessary, it is preferable that the two sole means 13 for placement on each side of the shoe skate 10, will be joined together as an integral device, as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, the two sides 13 will be joined by an integral, flexible handle 50, which not only serves to join the two sides together, but may be used to store either the sole means 13 separately, or if it is applied to a shoe skate to hang up or store the shoe skate itself.

Again, although it is not necessary, it is preferable for the sole 14 to have its upper surfaces 52 contoured to provide a so-called orthopedic construction, which conforms generally to the contours of a human foot. That is to say, the surface 52 includes an elevated convex central arch supporting portion, as well as a concave elevated heel supporting portion, and a contoured toe supporting portion. The latter may, preferably, have a longitudinal convex peak portion separating a shallow concave valley supporting the big toe on one side of the peak, and the remaining toes on the other side, as will be understood by practitioners in the art. Moreover, a transverse concave portion for supporting the ball of the foot of the wearer may be located between the toe and arch portions. As will be understood, the support of a users foot by a rigid, orthopedically contoured sole of this type reduces foot strain, provides substantial and uniform support for the sole of the foot of the user and increases comfort.

Thus, as will be apparent from the foregoing, the sole means or device of the invention, provides a simple integral structure which may be easily and rapidly placed upon the wheels of a shoe skate, to automatically lock the wheels thereof and convert the shoe skate into a walking shoe. Moreover, because of the simplified construction and relatively light weight of the integral sole means, in accordance herewith, it may be easily carried in a purse or other container by the user, so that upon arrival of the user to an area where skates cannot be used, the sole device may be rapidly placed upon the wheels of a shoe skate, so that the user may continue to proceed to his or her destination without having to remove the shoe skates or the wheels thereof. The convenience of such a device will be apparent to everyone. Moreover, because of the integral nature of the sole means or device of the invention, it may be easily and cheaply manufactured in a single molding operation, and with the integral handle, may be utilized to store either the sole device itself or the shoe skate to which it may be attached.

It is to be understood that the sole device herein illustrated and described is intended to be representative only, as changes may be made therein without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following appended claims to ascertain the full scope of the invention.

l claim:

1. A removable walking sole construction for roller skates having at least one pair of tandem skate wheels, said sole contruction comprising a. a first and second wear surface means for covering at least the bottom portions of each of said skate wheels;

b. clamping means for securely engaging each of said tandem skate wheels; and

c. substantially rigid stabilizing means interconnecting said clamping means and for cooperating therewith to prevent the rotation of said wheels.

2. The sole construction of claim 1, in which a. said wear surface means, clamping means, and stabilizing means are integrally formed of an elastomeric material.

3. The sole of claim 2, in which a. said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber and synthetic rubber.

4. The sole of claim 1, in which a. said clamping means is an expandable, completely circular, closed loop having an inner diameter, in its relaxed condition, slightly less than the outer diameter of said wheels, and being sufficiently stretchable to be fitted over and about the peripheral surfaces of said wheels.

5. The sole of claim 4, in which a. said stabilizing means is in the form of a vertical plate means extending between said clamping means and having parallel flanges extending outwardly therefrom, thereby giving said stabilizing means a generally l-shaped cross section.

6. The sole construction of claim 1, which further includes a. a separate, second sole construction identical to that defined in claim 1, subparagraphs (a) (b) and (c); and

b. a hang strap means interconnecting each of said separate sole constructions.

7. The sole construction of claim 6, further characterized in that a. said separate sole constructions and said strap means are integrally formed and comprise a single unit.

8. Convertible footwear comprising a. a shoe body;

b. a pair of skate trucks mounting two pairs of rotatable skate wheels in tandem;

c. meansaffixing said skate trucks to said shoe body; d. removable restraining means engaging each of said wheels and preventing the rotation thereof; and e. removable wear surface means associated with said restraining means and providing a selectively removable walking sole for said shoe body;

f. whereby said footwear is adapted for normal walking use when said skate wheels are restrained and said wear surface means is in place and alternatively, said footwear is adapted to be instantly converted to a roller skate upon the removal of said restraining means and said wear surface means.

9. The convertible footwear of claim 7, in which a. said wear surface means and said restraining means for each pair of tandem wheels are integrally formed as a one-piece molded resilient element.

10. The convertible footwear of claim 8, in which a. said wear surface means includes molded-in treads.

11. The convertible footwear of claim 10, in which a. said treads comprise a plurality of parallel ridges extending completely across said wear surface means;

b. said treads are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shoe body. 

1. A removable walking sole construction for roller skates having at least one pair of tandem skate wheels, said sole contruction comprising a. a first and second wear surface means for covering at least the bottom portions of each of said skate wheels; b. clamping means for securely engaging each of said tandem skate wheels; and c. substantially rigid stabilizing means interconnecting said clamping means and for cooperating therewith to prevent the rotation of said wheels.
 2. The sole construction of claim 1, in which a. said wear surface means, clamping means, and stabilizing means are integrally formed of an elastomeric material.
 3. The sole of claim 2, in which a. said elastomeric material is selected from the group consisting of natural rubber and synthetic rubber.
 4. The sole of claim 1, in which a. said clamping means is an expandable, completely circular, closed loop having an inner diameter, in its relaxed condition, slightly less than the outer diameter of said wheels, and being sufficiently stretchable to be fitted over and about the peripheral surfaces of said wheels.
 5. The sole of claim 4, in which a. said stabilizing means is in the form of a vertical plate means extending between said clamping means and having parallel flanges extending outwardly therefrom, thereby giving said stabilizing means a generally I-shaped cross section.
 6. The sole construction of claim 1, which further includes a. a separate, second sole construction identical to that defined in claim 1, subparagraphs (a) (b) and (c); and b. a hang strap means interconnecting each of said separate sole constructions.
 7. The sole construction of claim 6, further characterized in that a. Said separate sole constructions and said strap means are integrally formed and comprise a single unit.
 8. Convertible footwear comprising a. a shoe body; b. a pair of skate trucks mounting two pairs of rotatable skate wheels in tandem; c. means affixing said skate trucks to said shoe body; d. removable restraining means engaging each of said wheels and preventing the rotation thereof; and e. removable wear surface means associated with said restraining means and providing a selectively removable walking sole for said shoe body; f. whereby said footwear is adapted for normal walking use when said skate wheels are restrained and said wear surface means is in place and alternatively, said footwear is adapted to be instantly converted to a roller skate upon the removal of said restraining means and said wear surface means.
 9. The convertible footwear of claim 7, in which a. said wear surface means and said restraining means for each pair of tandem wheels are integrally formed as a one-piece molded resilient element.
 10. The convertible footwear of claim 8, in which a. said wear surface means includes molded-in treads.
 11. The convertible footwear of claim 10, in which a. said treads comprise a plurality of parallel ridges extending completely across said wear surface means; b. said treads are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said shoe body. 